IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,365,929
Granted Patent B2
US 12,365,929 · App. 18/327,434 · Granted Jul 22, 2025

Reconfigurable DNA nano-tweezer

Inventors: Nicholas Stephanopoulos (Scottsdale, AZ); Minghui Liu (Chandler, AZ)
Assignee: ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
C12P19/34C12N15/111B82Y5/00B82Y40/00C12N2310/122C12N2310/3181C12N2310/531
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,365,929
App. No.
18/327,434
Granted
Jul 22, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A photocaged DNA nano-tweezer and methods of using said photocaged DNA nano-tweezer are described. In particular, provided herein is a DNA nano-tweezer comprising a hairpin with a single-stranded loop that comprises a first arm and a second arm; and a trigger strand complementary to the single-stranded loop and comprising at least one photocaged residue with a protecting group.

Claims (14)

1. A DNA nano-tweezer comprising:

a DNA hairpin with a single-stranded loop, wherein the loop has at least two arms with a distance of between about 4 nm to about 18 nm between the distal tip of the at least two arms; and

a DNA trigger strand complementary to the single-stranded loop and comprising at least one photocaged residue,

wherein the DNA nano-tweezer is in a closed conformation until exposed to a pulse of light whereby the photocaged residue is released and the trigger strand is hybridized to the single-stranded loop forming an open conformation wherein the distance between the at least two arms is at least 18 nm.

2. The DNA nano-tweezer of claim 1 , wherein the single-stranded loop and the trigger strand are selected from the group consisting of a poly-A loop, a poly-T loop, a poly-G loop, and a poly-C loop.

3. The DNA nano-tweezer of claim 1 , wherein the photocaged residue comprises a 6-nitropiperonyloxymethyl protecting group.

4. The DNA nano-tweezer of claim 1 additionally comprising a ligand.

5. The DNA nano-tweezer of claim 1 additionally comprising a fluorescent label.

6. The DNA nano-tweezer of claim 1 , wherein the DNA nanotweezer additionally comprises a locking strand.

7. The DNA nano-tweezer of claim 6 , wherein the locking strand comprises an o-nitrobenzyl ester photocleavable backbone.

8. The DNA nano-tweezer of claim 1 , wherein the light is UV light.

9. The DNA nano-tweezer of claim 1 . wherein the light is between about 300 nm and about 400 nm.

10. The DNA nano-tweezer of claim 1 , wherein the pulse of light is between about 1 second and about 10 seconds.

11. The DNA nano-tweezer of claim 1 , wherein the distance between the distal tip of the at least two arms is between about 4 nm and about 16 nm.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2023
From: STEPHANOPOULOS, NICHOLAS; LIU, MINGHUI
To: ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS ON BEHALF OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY
Reel/Frame 065507/0667 →
Continuity (3)
Division 16653235 · Oct 15, 2019
Provisional Application 62746139 · Oct 16, 2018
Related Publication 20240011065A1 · Jan 11, 2024
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